


Once upon a dream

by Brownieboi9800



Series: Stray Kids Fairytales [1]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Angst, Bang Chan is a Panicked Gay, Character Death, Everyone Loves Lee Felix (Stray Kids), Fae Magic, HyunSungLix are brothers, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Lee Felix-centric (Stray Kids), M/M, Sleeping Beauty Elements, Supernatural Elements, Yang Jeongin | I.N is Whipped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28072059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brownieboi9800/pseuds/Brownieboi9800
Summary: The classic story of Sleeping Beauty retold with Stray Kids as main characters. Yay.OrHyunSungLix raise a baby in the forest.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Lee Felix/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Series: Stray Kids Fairytales [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2059401
Comments: 7
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So this is my first fanfic so don’t judge too harshly :)  
> This is an LGBTQ+ friendly space and so if you don’t like that, then the door is here.  
> Love you x 
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and relationships in this do not represent my opinions of the K-pop artists - I simply took names and appearances for inspiration.
> 
> I am not using honorifics as I am English and don’t understand them enough to use correctly :)

It was a crisp winters morning when the news arrived that the Queen had given birth to a healthy baby boy.

They had called him Minho. 

A large party was declared to celebrate the princes birth and his betrothal to a prince from the neighbouring kingdom. Their fathers had long been friends and wished to unite their lands with their youngest children.  
Before long, invitations poured out of the palace to invite all to welcome the prince. 

Amongst the guests were the three Good Faeries who were to become the prince’s godmothers. Such an honour hadn’t been given by the faeries before as the mortals had long feared their immense power. 

Indeed, as the day of the celebration drew closer, nobility and peasants alike spoke in awed whispers of the faerie brothers and their impressive abilities. Whilst mainly using charms when dealing with mortals, the faeries true power was said to be drawn from the very world they lived in. 

Hyunjin, who commanded the oceans and air, Jisung who controlled the shadows and night and finally Felix who nature bowed to.  
“Such powerful beings,” they whispered in hushed voices. 

Jisung scoffed at the thought as he stared at his brother.  
On the branch outside, spread out like a starfish was Hyunjin, who was sleeping on top of their squirrel friend (Brian) and snoring loud enough to scare birds. At his preferred height of 15cm tall, the eldest faerie used the squirrels warm fur as a fluffy bed while he slept in the sun. 

Jisung grinned at the sight and turned from the window.  
Felix was sat cross-legged in midair beside a large potion bowl, an ancient spell book open to one side as he put the finishing touches to the final charm for the young prince. 

“You alright, Lixie?”  
The green faerie glanced up and smiled broadly, leaves sticking in his blonde hair and freckles glowing. 

“Yep, nearly done now, hyung,” said Felix. “Pass me that basket, Sungie.”  
He gestured wildly at an overflowing basket filled with various petals and looked quickly through his book as Jisung passed him the basket. 

“This stupid charm has taken sooo long to make!” Felix groaned as he stirred the mixture quickly and added a few petals. “Why we can’t just turn up and snap our fingers, I have no clue.”

Jisung laughed.  
“Because your eyes glow green when you use magic directly and you’d scare the shit out of the mortals! Besides, you love making potions.”  
“Psh,” replied Felix, pulling a bottle of a shelf to pour into the bowl.  
“Right then... you go there.. and stir.. ha!”  
A puff of pink smoke erupted from the bowl leaving behind a pile of glittering charm dust. 

“Yes! Okay we can leave now.” The faerie poured the dust into a small vial which he tucked into his pocket. The two faeries flew outside to wake up their hyung. It was time to meet the prince.

~

The great hall of castle was filled when the faeries arrived via shadow portal (courtesy of Jisung) heralded by a loud fanfare. 

As Felix gracefully landed on the stone floor, he looked up to the royalty at the far end of the room.   
To the left stood the Levantan King, Changbin with his four sons, BamBam, Yugyeom, Jackson and Bang Chan who was clinging to BamBam’s shoulders as he stared at the faeries in awe. The two year old was due to be betrothed to the newborn prince that very afternoon.   
(Felix felt pity for the boy and the lack of choice he had in the arranged marriage). 

In the centre, sat in two gilded thrones was King Wooyoung and his wife with their eldest son Seungmin. And to the right in a tiny crib was the prince, wrapped in fluffy yellow blankets. 

The faeries flew quickly to the crib and cooed in delight at the cute baby.   
“He’s so cute!” Squeaked Hyunjin with a hand on his heart in true dramatic fashion.   
(Jisung rolled his eyes.)

Felix dragged them all over to address the kings and queen who eyed the faeries warily.   
The faeries inclined their heads in recognition but did not bow.   
“Your majesties,” began Hyunjin. “We are here to bestow a single gift each upon your child as his protectors and godparents. No more and no less.”

Wooyoung bowed his head solemnly and Hyunjin fluttered back to the tiny infant.   
Minho reached out with grabby hands at the faerie who pulled out a vial full of pink dust.   
“Sweet prince,” he said. “I give the gift of grace and beauty.”  
Shimmering sparkles poured onto the baby before disappearing, leaving nothing but the smell of roses. 

Felix fluttered forward and stroked the prince’s cheek gently with a finger.   
“Dear prince,” he said. “I give you the gift of song.”  
This time, green sparkles floated down to the prince and a faint melody could be heard around the room. 

Jisung was about to bless the child when the doors slammed open suddenly and a bitter wind howled through the hall.   
People screamed and guards rushed to protect the guests. 

Hyunjin and Jisung ran in front of the royals throwing up a protective shield as they went while Felix grabbed Minho and held him tightly to his chest.   
Green fire erupted in the middle of the room and a cackling faerie appeared, horns glinting in the firelight.   
A raven landed atop her obsidian black staff with a low squawk. 

“Mina!” Gasped Felix. 

The evil faerie took a slow measured look around the room, sneering at the faeries as she did. Jisung balled his hands into fists as shadow claws popped out, ready to fight. 

Calm, he thought. Stay calm. 

“Why, what a wonderful gathering you have here, Wooyoung.” Drawled the sorceress. “Royalty, nobility, the gentry.. oh. And even the rabble.”  
Hyunjin snarled under his breath.   
Mina laughed.   
“I was most upset to not receive an invite myself.”   
No one spoke.   
“Ah I see. I am evidently not welcome here. Well, I best be on my way..”  
“You’re not offended?” Called out the Queen worriedly.   
Mina smirked evilly, showing white fangs.   
“Why no. And to show I bare no ill will, I too shall bestow a gift on the child.”

The three faeries gasped in horror but the foolish queen (who wished not to offend the witch further) had already nodded in agreement.   
Felix held the baby to his chest tightly, wishing he could stop whatever evil would come next. 

Mina raised her staff.   
“Listen well, all of you! The prince will indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know him.”  
Hyunjin held his breath.   
“But, before the sun sets on his sixteenth birthday, he will prick his finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and DIE!”

Loud cries of despair rang out through the hall and the queen fainted in shock, Seungmin catching his mother.   
Mina cackled at the chaos and disappeared in a flash of green flame. 

The faeries relaxed out of fighting stances and stared at each other in quiet anger. Anger at the bitch who’d cursed a baby. Anger at the stupid mortal who’d let it happen. 

Wooyoung swung around to Hyunjin in disbelief.   
“Why did you do nothing? You’re powerful enough!” He shouted, red in the face.   
Hyunjin levelled the man with a glare that sent the king recoiling into his throne.   
“Once her majesty accepted the gift from Mina, we could do Nothing.” Spat the eldest faerie.   
“Powerful we may be, there are rules that keep even us in check. You should be grateful that we covered you with a shield that prevented Mina from simply disintegrating the lot of you!”

Both kings stared in horrified silence at his words but Prince BamBam stepped forward, still holding Chan.   
He bowed deeply to the faeries.   
“I thank you for our lives.” He said sincerely enough that Hyunjin smiled at the ten year old who had more respect than his elders.   
The pink faerie gestured at his brother.   
“Jisung still has his gift to give.”

The king sat forward.   
“So you can undo this curse.. please?”   
Jisung raised his chin up.   
“I cannot undo the gift given by Mina. But I can change it slightly.”

The blue faerie raised his arms, shadows swirling around his body. The king paled again at the show of power but remained silent.   
Felix smiled encouragingly at his brother and Jisung felt confidence surge into his heart. 

“I give a saviours gift to the prince. If he should indeed prick his finger, he will not die but fall into a death like sleep until he is awoken by true loves kiss.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter folks :)

Despite being grateful for Jisung’s gift, the king was still unhappy with the dangers to his son and that night ordered all the spinning wheels in the kingdom to be burned. 

The faeries were sat in their honorary bedroom at the top of one of the castle towers, watching the giant bonfire as the smoke covered the stars. 

“This is ridiculous,” Declared Hyunjin throwing his arms up into the air.  
“A bonfire isn’t going to stop Mina.”

Jisung, who was sat swinging his legs on the table, nodded.

“They’re doing what they think is right,” said Felix evenly. “They feel helpless and humiliated, especially after your telling off, Jinnie.”  
He smiled slightly at his oldest brother who tsked and waved a hand dismissively. 

“They deserved it. That king was completely out of order when he tried to blame us. US?!”  
The pink faerie began pacing the floor in annoyance, ignoring the glances his brothers exchanged.  
“We only helped save their asses, the ungrateful little shits! Well the king can take his bloody crown and shove it...”

“Biscuit, Sungie?” Said Felix, conjuring a small plate with a heap of chocolate cookies on it.  
The blue faerie grinned and snatched one up.  
Felix turned to Hyunjin who was still pacing around like an agitated cat.  
“Jinnie?”

Anger fading away slightly, Hyunjin stopped muttering insults and took a biscuit.  
“By the way,” he said suddenly, turning to pat Jisung on the back. “Well done on that changing spell.” 

Jisung blushed with pride but shook his head sadly.  
“I just wish we could do more. Mina will be back here the minute we leave. You know she will.”

Pink sparks flew from Hyunjin’s hands as he huffed unhappily. He slumped down next to Jisung.  
“But what can we do? She’ll be expecting us to do something and she knows everything.”

Felix lay down on the bed thoughtfully.  
“I don’t think she does, Jinnie. She doesn’t know anything about love or helping others. You know, sometimes I don’t think she’s very happy...”  
“THATS IT!”

The younger faeries jumped in shock as Hyunjin leapt into the air.  
“Um.. Jinnie?”

Hyunjin waved at them to be quiet and shrank to a miniature size in a puff of pink sparkles. He signalled at the other two to follow him and flew over to the ornate clock upon the mantelpiece where a secret room was hidden within the face. 

Jisung glanced at Felix with a slightly amused look before they followed their brother. 

~

A tall mirror took up one end of the tiny room and dozens of puffy armchairs stood on a fluffy rug. Tiny flames glowed in the corners of the room and a bookshelf stood by the door. 

Once comfortably sat in a purple armchair, Hyunjin crossed his legs and looked at his brothers seriously.  
“In the forest, not far from the border to Levanter sits an abandoned cottage long forgotten by the humans.” 

Jisung frowned.  
“And this is relevant because..?”

“Three peasants move in tonight to raise a foundling child away from the dangers of the city.”

“Well that’s very nice of them,” said Felix. “But... I’m kinda with Sungie. Why does it matter?”

“Turn around.”

Confused, the faeries did as instructed and turned to face the tall mirror and gasped loudly as pink sparkles transformed their beautiful fae outfits into heavy peasant clothing, their iridescent wings disappearing. 

For a moment they stood there staring in shock (Hyunjin adjusting his red tunic) before Felix smiled widely and twirled in his long green dress and laced corset.  
Jisung however, looked less than impressed with his tunic and trousers.  
“ITS PINK!” He cried in disgust before changing the offending colour to a cobalt blue. 

“Oh,” said Felix happily. “We’re going to look after the prince aren’t we? We’re the peasants?”  
Hyunjin nodded.  
“WHAT?”  
The green faerie began dancing around the room as Hyunjin cleared his throat.  
“Yes. We will have to give up magic so as not to attract attention...”  
“EXCUSE ME?”  
“...but it’s all for a good cause.” Finished the oldest.  
The green faerie was gazing dreamily into space.  
“We can wash him and dress him and rock him to sleep!” Felix sighed. “Oh I’ve always wanted a baby..”  
“BUT?”  
“Why, Sungie. Why are you making all that bloody noise?” Called Hyunjin, smirking at his younger brother. 

Jisung had gone bright red as though he was about to explode. Felix hid behind Hyunjin and peeked over his shoulder warily.  
“Sungie?...”

The blue faerie took a deep breath.  
“So you’re telling me, that we are going to pretend to be MORTALS for 16 YEARS all whilst raising a FUCKING CHILD who just so happens to be the MAIN TARGET FOR THE MOST POWERFUL DARK FAE OF OUR GENERATION?”

“I’d say you’ve got the general point, yes.” Said Hyunjin calmly. 

Jisung gaped like a fish for a second as though his brain had forgotten how to function. Felix crept over and hugged his brother, trying not to laugh. 

After a moment the blue faerie shook his head.  
“Okay. Sure. Raise a child. Cool. Hide from Mina. Can do. No magic. Seems legit.”

Felix chuckled under his breath but Hyunjin simply pulled his hair into a messy bun and strolled out of the hidden room.  
“Glad we’re all on board.” He said. “Let’s go tell their majesties.”

“We’re fucked,” whispered Jisung. 

~

Less than two hours later, the faeries hurried into the forest once more, Felix hugging a small bundle to his chest, careful not to be spotted by the evil lurking by the castle grounds. 

And the king and queen watched sadly from the castle as the three barely visible shadows disappeared into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

“SIXTEEN YEARS!” Shrieked the sorceress from her throne, smacking her staff onto the floor in anger.  
“SIXTEEN YEARS AND NO SIGN OF HIM. HE COULDN’T HAVE JUST VANISHED INTO THIN AIR!”

Dahyun grinned from her spot beside her mistress’s seat. It was fun to see someone else get punished for their mistakes. 

“YOU SNIVELLING FOOLS HAVE FAILED ME FOR THE LAST TIME!” Screamed the fae as her demonic henchmen recoiled in fear. Lightening flew from Mina’s staff and the two closest to the throne disintegrated into piles of black dust.  
The other demons squeaked in terror and sprinted from the room, dodging the evil magic that could end their lives in a flash. 

Mina sat back in her chair, exhausted and angry with the world.  
She turned to face Dahyun who stepped forward and bowed.  
“Ah, my pet.” Mina held out a delicate hand and the assassin shifted to her raven form and hopped lightly onto it.  
“Search far and wide. Search for a boy of nearly sixteen with the beauty of a faerie and the voice of an angel.”  
Dahyun bowed her head and flew out the crumbling window with her mistress’s final warning ringing in her ears.  
“Do not fail me.”

~

Minho finished petting Doongie and sat back on the window ledge as the kitten jumped onto the floor. Sighing deeply, he let his head fall back against the wall as the soft breeze fluttered across his face. 

Any time now. 

The boy gazed down at the tree line and the river snaking around the cottage that was his home. Lixie’s herb garden was flourishing in the early spring weather and birds raced each other in circles. The bushes swayed, the butterflies danced and the sun shone.  
But Minho still felt restless.  
Where was that idiot? 

Suddenly the bushes to the right rustled and a familiar head of black curls popped out, a grin evident even from this distance.  
Minho could feel his face grinning back.  
Chris.  
Chris was here.  
Hurrying downstairs, the boy grabbed a shawl and hoisted his skirts to avoid tripping on the polished wooden steps.  
Excitement built up inside mixed with a warm fuzzy feeling Minho felt whenever Chris was around. Not that he’d ever admit that of course. 

Once he got the kitchen however he stopped. His foster family sat huddled around the dining table, whispering amongst themselves with the occasional shove (mostly Jisung) and excessive arm waving (mostly Hyunjin).  
Before he could peer over at whatever book they were looking through, Felix spotted him.  
“Minho! Um.. hi darling”

Minho frowned. His foster mother looked oddly guilty as though he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t have.  
“Hey..?” He said slowly. “Um. I was just going to ask if I could go outside for a bit?”  
Jisung smiled and grabbed a basket.  
“Of course, hun. Grab us some berries would you? And don’t hurry back.”  
Hyunjin shoved his brother with an incredulous look on his face but Minho was too glad that his uncles didn’t appear to be going into protective mode like usual to bother thinking about Jisung’s words. 

Felix scurried around the table, tiny hands wrapping round Minho in a hug.  
“Be careful alright sweetie? And remember.. don’t talk to strangers!”  
Minho held back a roll of his eyes and smiled wanly at the elder.  
“I know, Lixie. I’ll be careful. See you later!”  
And with that, Minho turned and fled the cottage, grin widening on his face as he jumped into Chris’s arms for a hug. Laughing soundly the two friends ran off into the woods. 

Back at the cottage, Hyunjin sighed in relief.  
“He didn’t see the book did he?” Asked Jisung nervously.  
“Nah,” said Hyunjin confidently waving away worries with a dramatic hand gesture. “Now where were we?”  
Felix pointed at the large book that was full of princely outfits.  
“This one.”  
The other two faeries gasped and nodded at the elegant suit decorated with buttons and a sweeping neckline.  
“YES!” Cried Hyunjin.  
“And,” Felix added nervously. “I thought we could.. maybe.. make him a cake?”  
The green faerie desperately wanted to make Minho’s last birthday with the faeries perfect.  
“Of course, Lixie.” Smiled his brother. “I’m sure it’ll be delicious.” 

Jisung nodded eagerly and pulled up his sleeves. It’d been so long since he’d done proper magic and he could feel the familiar tingle of warmth enveloping him in a hug...  
“JISUNG. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

The blue faerie looked over at his brother in confusion.  
“Magic..?”  
“No, no, no and no darling! No magic!”  
Jisung pouted in frustration.  
“Then how the fuck are we supposed to make an outfit and a cake, hm? We’ve never tried seeing anything and the only person who can cook more than bloody soup is Minho.”  
Felix glanced at Hyunjin who just tsked impatiently.  
“We can learn quickly.”  
“WHAT?”  
“Lixie, darling you can do the cake,” continued the eldest, ignoring Jisung spluttering in disbelief.  
Felix twirled in a circle, skirt swishing and ran off to get the ingredients from the cupboard.  
“I’ll make the dress!” Hyunjin declared, “and you Sungie can be the model.”

Jisung closed his eyes and counted to ten. Once able to look at his brother without the urge to commit murder, he sighed and went to find a stool to stand on. 

Just fucking fantastic, he thought. 

~

Minho ran through the woods giggling as he went. Ahead, Chris was running flat out, dark curly hair standing out against his red cloak. He grinned as he looked back to check Minho was keeping up. 

Minho’s baggy sleeves rippled against the breeze and he would have considered loosening his corset if he hadn’t wanted to lose sight of Chris. 

“Hurry up, Lino!” Chris had run back and grabbed his hand, pulling him forwards.  
The sun shone through the gaps in the trees as they ducked under a low branch and jumped into the clearing. 

Their clearing. 

Both boys slumped to the ground and spread their legs like starfish as they caught their breath. Puffy clouds floated overhead and a small orange fox dozed under the blossom tree where Chris had carved their names in with his knife, a few summers ago.  
The fox looked up inquisitively but simply rolled over to sleep again used to the boys antics. 

Minho smiled. He remembered another summer not six years before when he’d first discovered this clearing. 

-

10 year old Minho had run off into the forest to play when he’d stumbled across the small clearing. He’d seen the blossom flowers falling and run forward to collect some for Jinnie when a deer had leapt through the bushes.  
A galloping horse chased after it with a young man in the fanciest clothes Minho had ever seen sat upon the saddle. In his hands were a bow and arrow..  
“NOO!” Screamed the boy, jumping between the man and his prey in horror. 

Startled, the horse had reared up and the man had fallen heavily to the ground. The deer had nuzzled Minho’s hand before running off, away from danger.  
Turning to the man, the little boy had put his hands on his hips and scowled.... until he had seen the broken leg. 

Suddenly feeling very guilty, Minho had rushed forward and knelt by the mans side.  
A smaller horse entered the clearing and a small boy not much older than Minho with curly hair had jumped down to kneel next to him.  
“Bammie?? Are you okay?”  
The boy had swung round to face Minho with a protective hand on the mans shoulder.  
“What did you do?” He asked angrily.  
Minho huffed in annoyance. “I didn’t do anything! And Lixie would say it’s his fault for chasing that beautiful deer!”

The man on the ground, sat up with difficulty and groaned.  
“Chris, calm down. It was an accident.”  
He hissed in pain and Chris turned pale.  
“But.. but your leg.”

“I can help,” interrupted Minho. He pulled out a small vial from his pocket and handed it to Chris who looked down at it skeptically.  
“It heals bones.” He explained.  
Chris looked confused but Bammie sat up further curiously.  
“Are you a faerie?”

Minho laughed.  
“No. Fully human. But my foster mother, Lixie is really good at making medicines and always makes me take this when I leave the house.”  
The man looked sharply at Minho as though he’d figured something out but smiled when he saw the boy looking nervous.  
“Well then. It’s better than just sitting here with a broken leg.”  
Chris handed over the tonic and watched cautiously as Bammie drank it. 

His bones immediately began to mend, the muscles stitching themselves back together until he was fully healed. It had taken no more than a few seconds.  
Minho sighed with relief and turned to face Chris whose jaw was slack in disbelief.  
The young boy gazed at Minho with a million questions in his eyes but simply pulled him into a tight hug.  
“Thank you.” 

They all stood up, Bammie testing his leg gingerly.  
“Indeed. Thank you... what is your name, kid?”  
Minho opened his mouth but suddenly heard Uncle Jinnie’s voice echo in his head.  
“Never tell anyone you meet your real name, okay sweetie?”

“Um, Lino.”  
“Ah,” the man hummed thoughtfully and Minho tensed thinking he’d noticed the lie. Thankfully after a minute, he simply shook the boys hand.  
“Well Lino, my name is BamBam and this is my brother Chris. We live in Levanter and we need to get home before dark.”  
Chris pouted but nodded.  
Just as they turned back to the small horse, the younger ran to give Minho another hug in Thanks.  
“Um, can we meet here tomorrow?” He asked shyly.  
Minho grinned. 

-

He turned on his side to look at his best friend. Chris had come back every week since to see Minho and they always met either in the clearing or near the cottage. Sometimes BamBam would come too to teach them archery or play fighting but the now twenty-six year old was often too busy helping his father.  
Minho didn’t know what Chris’s father did but he sounded very important in Levanter.  
And so what if he preferred it when he could spend time alone with Chris.  
It’s not like he had a crush on him or anything. 

Well that’s an outright lie, a little voice in his brain whispered.  
Minho groaned.  
Okay so he might be completely and utterly in love with Chris. 

“Hey, Lino. You good there?”  
Minho blinked out of his thoughts to see Chris’s brown eyes staring at him with concern.  
“You zoned out there, baby.”

Minho blushed red at the pet name (as he always did) and turned to face the sky.  
“Just thinking about my foster parents.”  
He lied.  
“They’re scheming for my birthday but I don’t know what yet. It’s probably going to be embarrassing, especially with Uncle Jinnie involved.” 

Chan POV  
Chan laughed.  
He’d never met Lino’s foster mother and uncles but the stories were often highly entertaining. He held high respect for the three brothers who’d taken it upon their selves to raise his friend abandoned in the woods but he couldn’t deny they were extremely chaotic people. 

“Nothing can be worse than when your uncle Sungie tried to dress Brian the squirrel in Jinnie’s socks.”  
Chuckled Chan, watching in silent awe as his best friend laughed, face lit up. 

The prince was once again struck by Lino’s beauty. He loved his friends laugh. He wished he could.. no. He had duties.  
Which thinking about, he should probably tell Lino about the engagement happening that very night... 

Now you could probably blame Chan for not telling Lino earlier about him being betrothed to some cursed long lost prince but he just couldn’t bring himself to explain why they could no longer meet after today. 

He couldn’t bring himself to say goodbye. 

To say goodbye to his best friend, who lit up his life of responsibility with his laughing and bright smiles. With Lino he could be himself. He felt free, happy, safe.  
And maybe he had fallen in love... 

Chan sighed.  
“Lino, I need to tell you...”  
“I need to pick some berries for Lixie,” interrupted Lino with a groan.  
“Help me pleaseeeee.”  
He pouted cutely and Chan felt his heart melt into a puddle of goo.  
“Yeah, sure,” he replied, helpless to the oblivious other.  
He hoped Lino would understand when he finally told him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so angst, fluff and then more angst. :)

Jisung was pissed.   
It had been two hours since Minho had left and so far his brothers had done nothing but make a giant, fucking mess. 

Ripped material lay in heaps around the room with pins and buttons strewn across the floor. He wore a tragic pink mess held by the seams with his elder brother just sticking in pins at this point.

Cake mixture coated the kitchen and table and the eggs had taken a jump onto the floor with the buttons.   
The only good thing was Felix (dear Lixie, he thought fondly) was still stirring whatever had made it into his cooking bowl with a large smile on his face, flour in his hair and across his freckles. 

A particularly sharp jab from Hyunjin had Jisung’s patience finally run out.   
“THATS IT.”  
His brothers jumped and stared at the blue faerie as he pulled the “outfit” off and kicked the stool in anger.   
“I HAVE HAD IT. THIS ISNT AN OUTFIT. THAT, SORRY FELIX, IS NOT A CAKE. THIS IS MINHOS FINAL BIRTHDAY IN THIS HOUSE AND I WILL NOT LET IT BE A FUCKING MESS DUE TO YOUR INEPTITUDE!”

The other two glanced around the room as though coming out of a trance. Jisung was right. They’d made a mess. 

“Now,” Jisung lowered his voice to a fake calm. “We are going to clean up. We are going to use our magic to make the gifts. And make Minho’s last day here a happy one.”

Felix nodded frantically whilst Hyunjin cleared his throat.   
“Right then,” he began. “I will make the outfit.”  
“And I’ll make the cake!” Shouted Felix eagerly.   
“And I’ll clean up.” Grumbled Jisung. 

The faeries quickly boarded up all the windows and doors in the cottage, making sure that no magic would escape and alert anyone to their presence. 

For a moment they stood staring at each other. It had been soooooo long since they had been able to do magic.   
Nervously, Hyunjin waved his hands letting a gentle breeze pick up the sewing needle.   
He giggled. 

Within minutes, the cottage was filled with pink, green and blue sparkles that conducted material, cake batter and soap in a dizzying dance to make everything perfect.   
Felix chattered excitedly to Brian (who had come in to sit on the table) whilst instructing the flour to mix with the sugar and Hyunjin was weaving together silks and thread in elaborate patterns.   
Jisung ordered the mop and broom around the room, cleaning every inch of the cottage. 

Happiness warmed the faeries from head to toe like a drug. It had been so long since they’d been able to use their magic and they quickly became careless with their powers. 

Jisung spotted the bright pink of the outfit and scowled. Whispering at the material, he turned it a deep blue.   
Hyunjin gasped and quickly changed it back.   
Oh it was on, thought Jisung mischievously. 

The two oldest faeries began a battle of air and shadow, pink and blue as they fought to get the outfit to be their preferred colour.   
Felix having long suffered their arguing, simply ignored them and the chaos behind him. He’d just begun icing the cake!

The three faeries were all so caught up in their fun that they didn’t notice the magical sparks escaping up the chimney, sending a vibrant signal to the heavens about their exact location. 

~

The two boys had raced back to their blossom tree after picking (and eating) any berries they had found.   
The afternoon had been long and full of laughter and Minho was content.   
A perfect birthday.   
But one thing could make it even better. 

Sitting with Chris’s head in his lap, he stroked the black curls on his best friend’s head and asked the question he’d wanted to for months.   
“Do you want to come and meet my family tonight? And have dinner?” 

Chris’s eyes flew open and his jaw tightened. He sat up quickly and began fiddling with his necklace nervously. 

Minho felt awkward. “Sorry, Chris I didn’t mean to overstep..”  
“No It’s not that Lino.”  
Chris sighed. “I.. I have something to tell you.”  
Minho felt a lump of dread settle in his stomach as he saw the serious expression on his friends face.   
Chris took a deep breath and stared him straight in the eye.   
“My name is not Chris. I am Prince Bang Chan of Levanter and tonight I am getting engaged. I.. I cannot visit you anymore.”

Minho gasped and felt the dread expand across his chest like a weight, tears welling up.   
“You.. you lied to me?” He stammered.  
“But.. BamBam.. what do you mean you’re not visiting anymore?”   
Hot tears began to run down his face. 

Chan POV   
Chan felt his own tears stick in his throat as he watched his friend’s face crumble. His heart felt like it was getting beaten with a stick that kept splintering.   
“I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want you to treat me different if I was a prince.” He said quietly. “You were always so kind and honest and I wanted to leave all the palace stuff behind. I.. I love you.”  
Lino was shaking his head in disbelief, wide eyes at his confession.   
“Then why are you leaving?” He whispered.   
“I don’t want to leave! But I have to. I have responsibilities and.. and.. “

“That’s a stupid fucking excuse,” spat Lino angrily. “You can’t just say you love me then run off to marry someone else in a shining castle!”

“I don’t have a choice!” Cried Chan desperate for Lino to understand. He stood up and his friend scrambled to his feet, fear in his beautiful eyes. 

“You’re.. you’re actually leaving?”  
Chan nodded.   
“But I... I love you too.” 

Something broke inside Chan at Lino’s confession and he turned to his horse as his legs threatened to collapse. His heart screamed at him to stay. 

A small hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him round.. and then he was kissing Lino. 

It was a desperate kiss, bittersweet and brief but Chan felt as though he was on clouds.   
But then Lino pulled away. 

“If you need me, come find me. I’ll be waiting.”   
And then Lino turned and ran off into the forest and Chan began the long ride back to the castle, heart left in shatters under the blossom tree where a small orange fox shed a silver tear. 

~

Dahyun was circling high above the forest near the Levantan border for the second time that week. So far she’d seen nothing but knew she couldn’t return to the fortress empty handed. 

“Do not fail me”

Small movement caught her eye and she looked down quickly, only to see the young Prince Bang Chan riding through the forest.   
Well, at least someone else was as miserable as she was. Stupid princeling.   
A small person seemed to be running in the opposite direction. A secret lover perhaps?   
The raven swooped down to inspect the unknown mortal and nearly fell out of the sky in shock.   
The boy was as beautiful as a faerie and looked around fifteen. 

Dahyun grinned at the sight but knew she had to make sure. Mina did not appreciate mistakes.   
She needed to find the faeries. 

Reborn determination sent her flying quickly ahead of the sobbing boy, black feathers rustling as she scanned the trees for sign of life.   
Suddenly a shot of vividly coloured sparkles flew out of the forest.   
Only one faerie’s magic was as pink as that. 

The raven dived down to the rundown cottage and what was unmistakably faerie magic shooting out of the chimney.   
She ducked her head through a mainly blocked window and nearly crowed aloud when she saw the faeries shooting sparkles across the room at each other. 

She remained hidden as the blue and pink collided on a fashionable garment and the two faeries growled and shrieked at each other. 

The green fae looked up from lighting candles and rushed to halt the fighting, only for all three to turn to the table.   
A squirrel had run in and was chattering rapidly at the green faerie who paled and motioned for the other two to “stop fighting like a pair of ninnies” and to “get their asses hidden”. 

With a swoosh of magic, the room was tidy and the outfit (now blue) lay on a chair beside the gorgeous cake.   
All three faeries hid on the stairs as the young man hurried out of the trees and through the door, shutting the door behind him with a slam. 

Minho POV   
“SURPRISE!”  
Minho fell back against the door in shock as his family jumped out with big grins. He looked to the table and saw a cake and an expensive looking outfit.   
Happiness fought the heavy pressure weighing on his heart and cracked a watery smile. 

Felix ran over to hug him and brushed away a tear, concerned.   
“Hey, Minho darling, what’s wrong?”  
Minho gripped his foster mother in a tight hug and kissed his forehead.   
“I love you all.” He replied shakily.   
“You’re.. you’re not going to leave me are you?” 

The three faeries froze.   
“Minho..” Hyunjin began.  
Minho sniffed and stared over Felix’s shoulder at his uncles with red, puffy eyes.   
“Actually there’s something we need to tell you..” 

This time is was Minho’s turn to freeze in horror as the pink faerie gently told him the truth.   
“You are the lost prince. We are the three faeries sworn to protect you until your sixteenth birthday. Tonight we’re returning you to your parents.”

All Minho could think could think of as darkness swept in was that it didn’t matter if Chan changed his mind. Because he wouldn’t even be here. And neither would his family. 

Dahyun POV   
Dahyun watched as the boy prince collapsed from sheer exhaustion and shock, the green faerie grabbing him as he fell with a distressed cry. 

Leaving the faeries with their problems, she took off with a crow of triumph. She had to get back to the fortress and tell her mistress the good news.   
She had found the prince.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short chapter but the next is quite long so :)

Chan had just ridden into the stables at Seungmin’s castle when his brother ran in looking harried.   
“Channie! Where were you?” Cried BamBam, pulling his youngest brother into a hug.   
“With.. Lino,” said Chan, voice breaking.   
BamBam looked at his face, startled at by the tears and puffy cheeks.   
“Hey Channie, don’t cry sweetheart.”

Chan took comfort in his brothers hug and whispered, “I love him.”

The crown prince stopped still before looking down at his brother with a huge grin creeping across his face.   
“You do?”  
Chan frowned.   
“How is this a good thing. I’m fucking betrothed remember?”

BamBam shook his head and laughed.   
“Oh you idiot. I hope you didn’t upset dear Lino too much. He’s the lost prince! The one you’re betrothed to.”

Chan froze in shock. Hope bloomed in his chest like a bird taking flight.   
“He.. he is? Wait how do you know this?”

His brother shrugged.   
“I’ve known since the kid healed me with that tonic he got from his foster mother. There’s not many tonics that glow with magic dust. And I was there when poor Minho was cursed and when the faeries saved our lives.”   
He looked into space, awed expression on his face as memories flowed through his mind.   
Suddenly he blinked and picked up Chan, swinging him round in a circle.   
A couple of servants ran past, giggling at the princes.   
“BAMMIE!” Laughed Chan. “Put me down!”

The crown prince gently put down his brother but continued grinning like a maniac.   
“I’m just glad that you actually love the person you’re being forced to marry.”

The boys laughed at the strange statement but were interrupted by a loud voice booming across the courtyard.   
“BamBam! Get your ass into the great hall now!” Shouted their brother, Yugyeom from outside. “Dad wants you!”

BamBam groaned but clapped his brother on the shoulder.   
“Alright. I’m needed. You coming too?”

Chan shook his head.   
“I need to get back to Lin.. Minho. He probably hates me.”

The older shook his head in denial. He’d seen how the prince had looked at his brother and knew he loved him.   
“Alright. I’ll cover for you. Just get your ass back here for the ceremony, okay?” 

Chan grinned and hugged his brother one more time.   
“Thanks, Bammie.”  
He saddled his horse and galloped back out the stables, the crown prince waving as he disappeared from sight. 

Neither noticed the raven circling overhead menacingly before turning to follow the young prince.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry :)

Minho looked gorgeous. He was dressed in an elegant suit of deep blue and he wore a light dusting of lipgloss from Hyunjin.   
He had an earring in one ear and a long cloak with gold fastenings over his shoulder.   
And yet.. he was miserable. 

Everything he’d known had been false. Made up. Even his foster family had been fake, the peasants who’d raised him utter fiction.   
But he couldn’t be angry with them.  
Not after they’d raised him with so much love and care. He was dreading when they would leave him. 

Despite this, he followed obediently through a glimmering shadow portal and into the castle that was a maze of hallways, staircases and tapestries.   
It was huge.   
And now his new home. 

He still couldn’t quite believe that he was a prince. It seemed sort as if he were dreaming and it was turning into a nightmare. For a moment he wondered if being a prince meant he could see Chan, but then pushed that aside.  
Chan was getting married. 

“In here, love.” Murmured Jisung, who gestured into a long room with a fireplace and an extravagant bed.   
Once Minho was sat down on a gilded chair beside a mirror, Hyunjin conjured a delicate tiara and placed it upon the princes dark hair.   
The silvers and blues made him look ethereal yet he couldn’t help but cover his face and cry.   
It was all too much at once. 

Hyunjin gestured to the other two faeries and they quickly left the room and stood outside the door.   
“He’s so sad,” muttered Felix who was nearly in tears himself. “And alone.”

“He just needs time to adjust,” said Hyunjin, although he sounded uncertain.   
Felix scowled uncharacteristically.   
“My baby is upset. And there’s nothing I can do.” The green faerie huffed and stamped the floor impatiently.   
Jisung patted his shoulder comfortingly. 

~  
Minho POV  
The fire died down slowly in the prince’s bedroom and strange light filled the space.   
“Minho.”   
An eerie yet comforting voice echoed throughout the room, catching the princes attention. He looked up and a gorgeous woman appeared in a cloud of black smoke.   
Her horns glinted menacingly.   
“Come with me, Minho.”

The prince frowned slightly as his brain filled with fog and his shout of fear died in his throat.   
He should be afraid, right? 

“Do you want to see Chan, my dear?”   
Chan? Yes. Wait, no. Chan lied to him. But Chan made him feel happy. Safe.   
“Yes,” he replied, brain feeling fuzzy and tired. So, so tired.   
The lady held out a hand and the prince took it, completely stuck within the trance. 

The faerie led him out through a hidden door in the fireplace, smiling evilly. The plan was working. 

~  
Felix POV  
“I think it’s stupid that he has to marry some random guy just because their fathers are friends,” added Jisung.   
“It’s a bit weird. But then humans are.” Hyunjin scoffed.   
Felix sighed, “Seriously though, if he’s not happy then he shouldn’t have to.. what was that?”   
He broke off and stared at the door. Behind it he could hear a low female voice chanting.   
Fear stabbed his heart.   
“MINA!” He cried and the faeries burst though the door just in time to see Minho disappear in the fireplace. 

“NOOOO!” Shrieked Felix, throwing himself against the stone wall that closed behind his son.   
Scrabbling frantically at the walls, he searched for a handle, a button, anything.   
“Found it!”  
The faeries shoved through the hidden door into the dark tunnels beyond, hearts racing. 

Felix whispered prayers to the goddess as he ran, the walls too close together to fly.   
Please, please, not his baby. 

~   
Minho POV  
Minho held the tall faerie’s hand as she led him up stone staircases. The green light surrounded them and he thought for a moment of another green faerie, who spoke to squirrels and sang him to sleep... 

But the thought disappeared as quickly as it arrived when the fog pushed it out of his mind. He was so tired.   
“Not much further, child”  
“Chan?”   
“Yes,” laughed the faerie. “You will see Chan before you know it.”

~  
Jisung POV  
“MINHO! DONT TOUCH ANYTHING!” Screamed Jisung desperately. The faeries were stumbling through the maze of catacombs that kept them from the prince.   
Time was running out.   
Jisung felt tears of frustration well up but he shoved them down as he flung out shadows to find Minho.   
At the third staircase, the shadows were met with an ominous green light that pushed them back.   
“THERE!”  
The faeries sprinted up the stairs but it was like quicksand, the green light holding them back as they tried to run through it.   
“It’s the curse!” Shouted Hyunjin.   
“No..no.. NO!”   
Felix threw himself against the barrier in desperation, his magic unable to counter the curse that had been in place for sixteen years.   
“Why did we leave him alone?” He cried. 

~  
Minho POV  
He entered small circular room at the top of the tower. A small window where a raven was perched. And a giant, black spinning wheel.   
Minho felt drawn to the wheel by an invisible string that he couldn’t fight.   
No, he should fight.   
But he was so tired.   
Tired of fighting his mind.   
Tired of being alone.   
“Chan?” He whispered. Where was Chan? 

The faerie beside him laughed coldly.   
“Touch the spindle, boy.”  
Minho felt his hand lift of its own accord and fear rooted in his stomach.   
No, no this was wrong.   
It felt wrong.   
“Touch the spindle, NOW!”  
A giant wave of magic swept over Minho and he stabbed his finger on the gleaming spindle.   
Blood dripped to the floor.   
A biting wind rustled around the room and cold laughter filled Minho’s ears as the whole world spun.   
The last thing he saw before he fell asleep was a green faerie with golden hair, running towards him, screaming his name in horror. 

~   
Felix POV  
“MINHO!”  
Felix felt his heart shatter into pieces on the floor as he caught his son in his arms.   
His brothers crowded around him, tears falling. They’d been too late. 

Behind him, Mina cackled and taunted them but Felix didn’t hear her. He barely registered Jisung flinging out a spear of lethal shadow at the evil faerie in rage and the raven shifting to human form to counter it with an elven blade.   
He didn’t even notice Mina leave in a flash of green flame.   
All he could think of was his failure.   
His failure to protect his baby. His prince. His son.   
Tears burned in his throat as he rocked the lifeless prince in his arms, pale skin cold to the touch. 

Felix screamed.   
A bone chilling scream of grief and anguish. His brothers covered his ears as light burst from the grieving faerie, blinding all within the castle and city as he screamed. 

Only when his throat was hoarse and his breath ran out did the faerie open his eyes.   
And nearly fainted in shock.   
The entire world had turned a muted colour as though the life had bled out of it.   
Through the high window, he spied the mortals below, frozen in time like statues from his magic, the trees unable to sway as they petrified and the darkening sky lost its deep blue.   
Looking back in horror, Felix saw his brothers huddled together - also frozen.   
“Jinnie? Sungie?”   
He whispered in disbelief. 

Felix forced down his magic as another wave of sadness threatened to take over, afraid of a second outburst.   
Only Minho remained normal, his skin glowing in a faint light as he slept, Felix having unconsciously protected them both with a shield.   
Sharp breaths stabbed his chest.   
No.   
He would not panic.   
He could change them back.   
But he needed his books which were at the cottage. Damn.   
Despite being powerful, (evidently) only Jisung possessed the ability to portal people. And he was currently stone. 

Jumping to his feet, the faerie ran to kiss both his brothers on the cheek in apology and picked up his son.   
Flying quickly out the window to Minho’s bedroom a few floors below, he laid the prince on his bed and tucked a blanket around him.   
He would be safe.. for now.   
Just while Felix helped his brothers. Then he would return and guard his son. 

The faerie steeled his heart against the cold threatening to take over and flew out the window into the deathly quiet world beyond.


	7. Part Two

Chan arrived at the cottage as a cold wind washed over him. Startled, he looked back to see a bright light flash in the distance - near where the castle was.   
Was that normal?   
His heart sank. Maybe Minho had already left and that was the curse lifting. But no, he wasn’t due back for another few hours.   
And his father would be wondering where he was. 

Shaking his head, he turned to open the door.   
It creaked slightly and Chan called out in the dark.   
“Hello? Minho?”  
A toothy smile gleaned in the dark and someone holding an elven knife stepped into view.   
Chan’s heart stopped in fear. His mind flashed back to sixteen years prior where a raven had sat upon an evil faerie’s staff.   
“Good evening, my prince,” crooned Dahyun. 

~

Less than a couple of minutes after Dahyun had wrestled the prince off to her mistress’s fortress, Felix arrived at the cottage.   
He was horribly out of breath by the time he reached the place that had been his home for so many years. His magic was returning slowly after being drained so quickly.   
The cottage door was slightly ajar but the faerie thought nothing of it as he fluttered over the large bookshelf on the far wall. 

Throwing books and ornaments around the room, Felix hunted for his spell book. Where the hell did Jisung... ha! There it is. 

Pulling it open to the correct page, the green faerie looked down at the instructions.   
Simple enough incantation... no required ingredients... ah shit.   
Felix sat back and smacked the table with his hand in annoyance.   
He needed another faerie to complete the spell with. Of fucking course.   
And his two brothers (the only other faeries he knew in the area) were currently statues in the mortal castle thanks to his magical meltdown.   
“I hate my life,” groaned the nature faerie, eyes welling with tears once more. He could feel himself spiralling again and struggled to stop it. 

A small rustling from further down the table caught his attention.   
Felix furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and lifted the moving pink ribbon.   
“Brian?”  
The friendly squirrel ran over to the faerie and hugged him.   
“Jinnie?” Brian asked mentally. 

Thanks to his nature magic, Felix could communicate via telepathy with any being. He’d long protected his animal friends from dangers within the world (mainly humans) and enjoyed nursing injured animals back to health.   
Brian had lived with the faeries since Hyunjin had found him in a trap and Felix had healed him. 

“No, Brian. Jinnie’s not here.”  
The faerie smiled sadly at the squirrel.   
“Sungie?”  
“No, sweetie.”  
“Minho?”  
Felix sobbed at that.  
“Why not Lixie?”  
“They’re.... they’re in trouble. And it’s all my fault.”   
The faerie began to cry from exhaustion and the never ending emotional day, startling the little squirrel. 

Nuzzling Felix in comfort, Brian cuddled up to his old friend.   
“Lixie.”  
“Y..yes,” Felix sniffled.   
“I came to you to get help for my friend. He’s a type of faerie too and would probably want to help you.. if you could possibly help him first.”  
Felix sat up straight and stared at the squirrel.   
“Who?”

~

Chan pulled hard against his chains. The last day had felt like a fever dream. The raven elf had broken a few of his ribs during their struggle and his face was wet with blood.   
But he could barely feel the pain over the shock.   
Minho. The boy he loved. The boy who lit up darkness with a simple smile. The boy who was currently stuck in a death like coma at the palace whilst he was here in this fucking dungeon.   
Cobwebs clung to his cloak and cracks ran up the stone walls around him.   
Outside he could hear the chattering of a thousand demonic creatures cheering for their mistresses triumph.   
Chan wished he could walk out that door right now and wring the witches neck. 

Instead he fought his chains, the iron slowly cutting into his wrists as he struggled.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay folks it’s Jeonglix centric from here on out :) with Chan of course.

Felix had been walking for about an hour in the darkening forest when Brian (who was curled around his shoulders) tapped his cheek.   
“Over there.”  
The green faerie turned slowly around and gasped in disbelief. 

Nestled in a blossom tree, was an ethereally beautiful fox faerie with nine tails and glowing gold symbols decorating his white coat. Intelligent eyes met Felix’s own and the faerie smiled shyly.   
He’d long heard the rumours of a kitsune living in this forest but Felix had never met one. 

“Hi,” he whispered, bowing low.   
The kitsune seemed to smile and bowed his head back before wincing at the movement.   
Felix glanced down confused and gasped again, shocked to see blood pouring down the side of the kitsune’s back leg where a trap was wedged in his thigh. The injury was deep and looked horribly painful. 

“He can’t shift back to heal himself,” said Brian. “I hoped you would be able to help.”   
Felix nodded quickly and knelt down beside the fox.   
“Hey,” he said softly. “My name is Felix.”

The kitsune blinked slowly at the faerie.   
“Hello, Felix.” His voice was strained from the pain.   
“Brian said you could help me.. please?” 

The squirrel squeaked in surprise and Felix got the impression that the kitsune did not use the word ‘please’ that often. 

“Of course,” he replied before hesitating.   
“But.. it’s going to hurt.”

The kitsune pulled a face.   
“Well no shit. It already fucking hurts!”

Felix laughed at the blunt words, feeling spark of light in his chest for the first time that evening.  
He looked down at the injured leg.   
“Okay.. um. What’s your name?”  
“Jeongin.”  
“Alright then, Jeongin. I’m going to take the trap off and then use my magic to heal the bone and flesh. Is that okay?”

Felix knew that kitsunes were not often creatures to accept help and avoided allowing others to use magic on them where possible.   
When Jeongin nodded impatiently, he felt a small burst of pride at how readily he’d been trusted.   
“Okay.. three, two, one.”

Jeongin let out a pained howl as the trap was removed and he flinched away from the nasty piece of iron.   
Felix quickly began healing the deep cut, cleaning away the blood and stitching the flesh back together with a flurry of green sparkles.   
Once he’d finished, the kitsune sighed in relief and nuzzled into Felix’s arms with a hug that the faerie readily accepted.   
With his head resting in the crook of Felix’s neck, Jeongin shifted back to his human form. 

The faerie was momentarily taken aback. The kitsune had white blond hair and dark eyes that crinkled when he smiled wearily and his cheekbones were sharper than even Minho’s. White fox ears with red rips poked through his hair and his nine tails had become one that was curled around Felix’s arm.   
Jeongin was.. beautiful.   
No.   
Shut up brain.  
Felix shoved that thought firmly from his mind as he stroked the kitsune’s hair reassuringly.   
“Thank you, Felix,” Jeongin looked up at his healer.   
The faerie laughed lightly.   
“Call me Lixie. Everyone else does.”

A while later, the two fae sat around a large purple fire (courtesy of Jeongin) as Felix explained his hell of a day. Brian dozed in the nearby blossom tree.   
“So I need to go unpetrify my brothers.. and the rest of the city,” he finished.   
“What about your Minho?”  
Felix put his face in his hands.   
“I.. I don’t know,” he croaked. “I’d always assumed we’d keep him safe from Mina.”

The kitsune looked thoughtfully at the fire for a moment, tail curling around Felix’s hand in comfort as he did.   
“Why don’t you go get that Chan boy?”  
The green faerie whipped his head around to see the younger smiling cheekily.   
“Huh? The Levantan prince? How is he supposed to help?” 

Jeongin laughed loudly in response.   
(Felix briefly thought that he’d never heard a better sound before quickly scolding himself for being creepy.)  
“Those two lovebirds have been pining after each other since day one.” Said the kitsune. “I thought you knew.”  
Felix shook his head in quiet astonishment.   
“How did they meet? When?”

Jeongin sat back on his hands.   
“Your Minho helped the prince and his brother.. wow must be going on six years ago now. With one of your tonics I might add.” He grinned at the faerie who blushed and looked down.   
“They’ve been friends ever since. I’ve been protecting the little darlings whenever they’ve met seeing as they chose to meet here,” he gestured around the clearing.   
“They kissed earlier today.”

Felix choked on air.   
“THEY WHAT..?”  
“Yes, they kissed,” Jeongin’s face became sad.   
“And then the poor boys both ran off thinking they couldn’t be with the other. Very sad I thought. Something about being betrothed..”

Felix jumped to his feet and began pacing, the kitsune watching him with barely concealed amusement.   
“So.. what you’re saying is.. Chan can break the curse?”  
Hope bled through Felix’s voice.   
Jeongin nodded.   
The nature faerie let out a loud cheer and grabbed the kitsune’s hands to dance around the fire. 

Jeongin POV   
Wow, Jeongin thought as he stared at the dancing faerie.   
He’s stunning.   
Felix was practically glowing with happiness, freckles glowing like stars, a far cry from the lifeless fae who’d walked into the clearing earlier.   
Jeongin wished to count each one of those freckles... hold up.   
He mentally shook himself.   
You only met the bloody faerie today, he scolded himself. Get a fucking grip. 

But he’d gladly stick around if Felix let him. Be friends. Yeah. Friends was good.   
Jeongin groaned inwardly. He was fucked. 

Felix swung around excitedly still holding the kitsune’s hands.   
“Could you cast a tracking spell? To find where Chan is?   
Jeongin nodded and his eyes turned gold. 

The forest floor shimmered for a second before an image appeared by the faeries’ feet. Both looked forward eagerly before recoiling in shock at the scene before them.   
Chan, beaten and bloody, was chained up in a dingy dungeon. They watched in horror as a familiar raven swooped into the cell and flung a piece of mouldy bread at the princes head.   
Chan snarled and continued to fight his chains as the image flickered and became the forest floor once more.   
Felix turned to Jeongin, wide eyed.   
“Mina has him. And he’s hurt.”  
The kitsune could hear the worry for the young prince in the faeries voice and so he smiled comfortingly at his new friend, stroking his tiny hand.   
“Then let’s go get him.”


	9. Chapter 9

Felix quickly decided that this was the stupidest thing he’d ever done. And the most dangerous. 

The two fae stood at one end of the rickety drawbridge that led up to a foreboding fortress at the top of a mountain. The air was thick and pungent with decay and even the shadows seemed to watch them.   
The cold bit at their faces and Felix could see Jeongin’s hair being tossed around. 

How does he look so calm? And pretty.... fuck. Stupid, creepy brain.   
Felix groaned aloud by accident and Jeongin laughed. 

“Yep, couldn’t agree more. We’re both clearly insane.”   
“Definitely insane.” Agreed Felix. 

Both began giggling at the crazy situation.   
The two of them were about to enter the most secure stronghold in the land, take on thousands of demons and a powerful sorceress and rescue a prince from prisons that no one had ever escaped from before. 

“We’re going to die.”  
“Probably.”  
“Together?”  
“Together.”  
The two faeries held hands as they walked into the fortress, wondering if they’d ever come out again. 

~  
Chan POV   
Chan woke to sound of a body hitting his cell door with a wet thud.  
Sitting up as fast as he could, he watched with disbelief as the door began to glow and the lock exploded.   
Two slightly disheveled looking faeries hurried inside and shut the door behind them.  
“Um..” he began.   
“SHHH!”  
Alright then. 

Chan watched as the faeries held their breath as what sounded like a stampede thundered past the cell door and relaxed when no one bothered to check the cell.   
One had a fox tail and glowing golden eyes whilst the other wore flowers in his hair and had iridescent wings.   
Both were coated in black blood. 

The one with flowers in his hair fluttered over to Chan and looked him dead in the eye.   
“Do you love Minho?” Came the hoarse voice, eyes glinting green.   
Chan was slightly taken aback by the question but nodded.   
The green faerie relaxed and smiled widely at the prince.   
“Okay then I’m Felix and this is Jeongin and we’re here to rescue..”  
“Felix? As in Lixie, Minho’s mother?” Interrupted Chan in surprise.   
Felix smiled impossibly brighter and nodded.   
“Yes dear. And we’re here to rescue you.”  
Jeongin began shattering Chan’s chains with his mind and the prince sighed in relief. 

So BamBam had been right.. but Minho had never mentioned a Jeongin.

“Who are you, sir?” He asked the kitsune as politely as possible.   
Jeongin’s ears twitched and he stared directly into Chan’s eyes.   
A thousand memories ran through Chan’s head of running around a clearing with Minho with the small orange fox watching them from the blossom tree. But as he watched, the fox changed into a white and gold kitsune lounging around with a smile on his face. Occasionally a memory showed the faerie exploding any nasty creature that came too close to the oblivious youngsters.   
“Oh,” he said in awe. “Thank you.”

The kitsune smiled and drew back, the symbols around his eyes shining in the pale torchlight as the chains fell to the ground.   
“Right,” said Felix briskly. “We need to get out of here so that you can kiss Minho.”  
Chan blushed bright red.   
“Um, okay?”  
“To save him, you ninny.” Jeongin rolled his eyes with a smirk at the embarrassed prince. “True loves kiss and all that bullshit.”  
Felix pouted at his friend and Chan glanced between them.   
Damn, I’m about to become a third wheel aren’t I, he thought.   
“Innie!” Rebuffed Felix, shoving the kitsune playfully. “True love isn’t bullshit.”  
Yep, definitely a third wheel. 

The fox faerie had turned a bright red colour. “Innie?”  
Felix blushed.   
“It suits you.” Was the only reply before he turned back to Chan who was trying not to squeal from their cuteness. 

“Right. I’m going to lie to you, hun. It’s a shit show out there.” Said the nature faerie seriously, Jeongin nodding before adding,   
“Yeah, we’re having difficulties even with our considerable abilities (Felix blushed again) and you’re only mortal.”  
Chan tried not to feel patronised.  
“Okay, so how can I help?”  
Felix smiled and a sword shining with light appeared in his tiny hands.   
“Take this. I assume you know how to use it,” he joked.   
A grin crept over the princes face as he bowed and took the weapon.   
Jeongin took a quick peek out of the cell and signalled for them to move.   
The stone stairs echoed their footsteps as they ran, Felix flying overhead. The trio had made it all the way to the courtyard before they were spotted. And then all hell descended upon them. 

Chan parried and slashed away at the hordes of demons from all sides, black blood splattering his clothes.   
Felix tore apart creatures with his vines while Jeongin burned white hot holes straight through bodies. Both faerie’s eyes were glowing brightly and Chan knew that without them he would be dead already.   
Any that made it past them got sliced by Chan’s sword.   
It was a massacre. 

Once they’d cleared the courtyard, they sprinted for the drawbridge dodging boulders and burning hot tar poured from the battlements. Arrows whistles through the air but were turned to harmless flowers with a flick of Felix’s wrist. 

Adrenaline surged though Chan as he leapt with his new friends over the last half of the bridge as it was raised to prevent escape.   
For a moment, time stopped. 

He flew through the air watching the ground come up to meet him as a loud shriek of rage bounced off the surrounding mountains.   
Mina.   
Chan rolled to standing and turned to see the sorceress standing atop her tallest tower, staff raised.   
Lightening flashed.   
Jeongin shifted to fox form.   
“Ah shit,” cried Felix. “RUN!”

Chan turned to run but was suddenly picked up by the faerie and placed on Jeongin’s back. The kitsune bared his teeth and took off down the mountain, faster than Chan could ever hoped to have run. 

“Be honoured, young prince,” called Jeongin over the wind. “No mortal has ever been carried by a kitsune before.”  
Felix grinned beside them, wings propelling his forward.   
“Thank you, sir.” Stammered Chan.   
Jeongin tsked. “Sir makes me sound old. I’m only 200 for crying out loud! Call me Jeongin.”   
Chan laughed.   
“Okay Jeongin.”

The conversation was halted by a flash of lightening hitting the ground ahead.   
Jeongin dodged the bolt nimbly, Chan clinging on for dear life.   
Felix threw up a wall of stone, blocking them from the evil faerie’s lightening for the moment.  
The castle loomed ahead, so close and yet so far. Black shapes began to form on the skyline and Chan squinted to see them.   
“Um, Lixie, sir. What’s that..?”  
“Oh fucking hell,” cried Felix. 

Seven foot tall black vines with thorns grew across the landscape ahead, cutting the trio off from the castle not one mile away.   
For a moment they stood silently.   
Then Chan spoke up.   
“Right. If you two could maybe blast through the vines with your combined light magic, could we run through before they seal up again?”   
The faeries exchanged glances.   
“Risky,” said Felix.   
“Chaotic,” added Jeongin.   
They both looked at Chan and grinned.   
“Okay,” the prince shoved aside all common sense. “On the count of three. One, Two, THREE!”  
A blast of light energy exploded from Felix and Jeongin as the kitsune launched into the forest of death. 

~

Mina stared open mouthed in shock as the trio smashed through her death vines like a knife through butter.   
Dahyun stood beside her with the same expression of disbelief with a hint of begrudging respect.   
No. She’d come too close to victory, thought Mina.   
She’d just have to incinerate them herself.   
With a loud war cry, she threw herself through a fiery portal with her loyal raven. 

~

Felix spun around to his friends once they’d made it to the palace steps, Chan jumping off Innie’s back.   
“Okay,” he began. “Chan, make your way to Minho’s bedroom. Innie, my brothers..”

An explosion of green flame ahead made the group look up sharply.   
Mina stalked down the steps towards them, a sneer on her face. Dahyun trailed behind her, clutching a knife. 

“Well, well, well.” She drawled. “You actually made it.”  
Jeongin snarled and changed back to human form, shielding Felix with glowing eyes.  
“Stay back, bitch.” He spat.   
Dahyun lunged for the kitsune but Mina held up a hand.   
“Now, now. No need for that.” She laughed coldly.   
“I was impressed to see you made it this far, princeling. But you will go no further.”  
Chan said nothing but tightened his hold on the sword.   
Mina faced the two faeries and smirked. “Turn back now, and I will spare your pathetic pet.”  
Jeongin bared his teeth in response.   
“He’s not a pet,” he growled. Chan felt a warm tingle of happiness at the kitsunes words. “He’s our friend.”  
“Oh please,” Mina scoffed. “Mortals are nothing but toys to play with like mice.”  
She stalked menacingly towards the kitsune.   
“Let yourself be a warning, young fox, that I will not stand for faeries who protect the lives of mortal pieces of shit.”

And she stabbed Jeongin in the gut.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mwah haha!

Chan opened his mouth to scream as the knife was shoved through his friends stomach... but nothing happened. 

Jeongin grinned mischievously.   
“Missed me.”

He and Felix both disappeared in a flash of golden light as a wave of water poured over Mina’s head making the dark fae shriek in frustration.   
It had been an illusion. 

The prince laughed in relief as he looked up to see the three faeries flying through the air, trailing pink, blue and green sparkles as they attacked the sorceress. 

Hyunjin battled with wolves made of water, Felix wove thorned vines and Jisung wielded weapons created out of shadows.   
Mina parried each blow with a shield of green flame but was quickly losing ground. 

Chan looked around eagerly to see Jeongin locked in a lethal dance with Dahyun, spinning and dodging the raven’s infamous elven knives whilst jabbing with his own blades of white flame.   
His friend lost balance for all of a second before he leapt in to deflect the killing blow.   
The mortal and the kitsune became one deadly unit and Dahyun started to tire.   
She lunged in one desperate attempt to stab Chan and Innie decapitated her in one swift movement. 

“NOOOOO!”  
Mina shouted in a blind rage as her faithful servant fell to the floor in a heap of blood and feathers.   
The three faeries battling her stepped back to stand with their two friends as she began to change shape.   
Her body lengthened, her hands became razor sharp claws and a long, lizard like tail grew with barbs on the end.   
Her two eyes became orange orbs full of hate.   
“Holy fuck,” gasped Jisung.   
Chan couldn’t agree more. 

The giant, obsidian black dragon roared and spread leathery wings. “Alright guys,” said Hyunjin. “Let’s take her down. Please don’t die.” 

Whispering a quick prayer the goddess, the four faeries jumped into battle once more followed by Chan. 

It was a whirlwind of a fight, the elements quite literally fighting each other as the dragon spat fire. Where light, shadow or nature didn’t attack, Chan was stabbing at the scales trying to find an opening in the thick armour.   
He dodged the tail and blocked a claw headed straight for Jisung. (The blue faerie grinned and launched another shadow spear.)  
But then the worst happened.   
Whilst covering Hyunjin from an attack, Felix was hit square in the chest by the barbed tail and flew backwards to the ground with a sickening crunch. 

Everything seemed to stop.   
Jeongin screamed.   
“FELIX!”

All three remaining faeries unleashed their anger at Felix (their sweet, caring Lixie) getting injured and Mina let out a roar of pain as she was attacked with double force.   
Chan, feeling a strong wave of hatred towards the dark fae, threw his sword in a last attempt.... and speared the dragon straight through the heart. 

Mina shrieked and clawed at her chest where the sword protruded, thick black blood pouring out.   
She stumbled back, wings splayed and she fell off the cliff beside the castle, disintegrating as she went.   
By the time the sword reached the bottom, Mina was no more. 

Jeongin POV  
But there was no feeling of victory.   
The three faeries rushed to Felix’s side, Jeongin pulling the dying faerie into his lap carefully.   
None of them were healers.   
They’d always relied on Lixie.   
Red stained his clothes and several bones were broken. Jeongin could hear the pink and blue faeries choking on their tears as they stared at their brother but he ignored them.   
He only had eyes for the freckled, golden haired ray of sunshine that was slowly going out. 

Felix smiled weakly.   
“Did.. did we do it, Innie?” He gasped.   
“Yes, baby we did it” the kitsune whispered, his voice cracking.   
“Minho.. he is safe?”  
“Yes.”  
The green faerie smiled widely, skin paling rapidly. A tiny, shaky hand reached up to the kitsunes face to wipe away a tear.   
“Don’t cry, Innie,” he murmured. “We did it. We did it.”  
Jeongin nodded unable to speak.   
“It.. it hurts, Innie.” The green faerie shuddered.   
Hyunjin grabbed his brothers hand.   
“Don’t strain yourself, darling,” he said thickly through his tears.   
Felix blinked.  
“I wish.. I could have seen Minho.”  
Jeongin’s face crumpled.   
“You will see Minho.” He insisted angrily.   
“You are not going to die. Do you hear me? You will NOT fucking die on me!”  
Felix closed his eyes, smiling.   
“I love you, Innie.”  
“..no..no”  
But he could hear the faeries heartbeat slowing.   
“NO!”

Suddenly a small hand grabbed the back of Felix’s neck and a vial appeared in front of the faeries mouth. Hyunjin and Jisung gasped.   
Minho coaxed the healing potion into his mother’s mouth careful not to spill anything.  
A moment passed in dead silence.   
And then..   
Felix opened his eyes, colour returning to his face.   
Hyunjin gasped and scanned his brothers body but all the bones were healing and the skin stitching itself back together.   
Jisung grabbed Felix’s hand and began sobbing in relief.   
And Jeongin.. Jeongin stared at the faerie, a tear running down his cheek before he lent forward and kissed Felix firmly. 

Chan POV   
The others all gasped and looked at each other in shock but Chan just grinned and put an arm around Minho.   
The moment the battle had ended and he’d seen Lixie’s injuries he’d known that only the faeries own magic could save him. 

And the only person who carried a vial of Felix’s healing potion with him everywhere was currently sleeping upstairs. Minho. 

Chan had sprinted through the castle as fast as he could, dodging the confused servants and guests who had been frozen for a whole day.   
He’d even spotted BamBam but knew he didn’t have much time.   
Once he’d found Minho, Chan had wasted no time in kissing the prince and waking him up.   
The poor boy had been confused and flustered to see Chan. 

“Chan? But.. but you’re engaged to..”  
“You.” Chan laughed at Minho’s stunned face. “You’re the one I’m betrothed to, idiot.”  
Minho was silent for all of a second before questions came pouring out.   
“What happened? And where did the creepy fae go? Where are..”  
Chan cut off his rambling with another kiss making Minho smile.   
“I’ll explain everything later.. but right now Felix needs your help.”

And so the two princes had run back through the palace together to save the faerie dying in the courtyard. They’d only just made it but Felix was alive.   
And that’s all that mattered, thought Chan.


	11. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay well I hope you’ve enjoyed this :) it was definitely fun to write.   
> I plan on writing more fairytales with Stray Kids as main characters so look out for them if you want x

Two weeks later, Minho was sat in the old cottage yet again with a basket full of berries and the fire blazing.   
He smiled around the room.  
Felix sat beside Jeongin, the kitsune playing with the blonde’s hair absent mindedly whilst listening to Jisung tell a funny story.   
Hyunjin lay on his stomach by the fire, flicking through a large design book with Brian sat on his shoulder.   
And sitting next to Minho, was Chan who was laughing at Jisung as he acted out his story with large gestures.   
Minho lay back against his boyfriends chest, stealing berries from the basket nearby.   
Life was perfect, he thought. 

After they’d all made sure Lixie was alright, the group had moved into the castle to find a lot of confused nobility.   
Prince BamBam had quickly made an appearance with his elderly father, Changbin and hugged his brother so tightly, Chan felt dizzy.   
He’d also hugged Minho and apologised for not having visited in the last few months.   
(“Although,” he’d said. “It had gotten awkward third wheeling with you two oblivious idiots.” Chan had thumped him on the shoulder after that.) 

Minho’s parents were more concerned with the magical showdown that had happened outside and were extremely uncomfortable with the faeries presence.   
They also having not seen Minho for so long, didn’t really see him as a prince.   
“You’ve not had any proper training,” his mother had protested.   
(Jeongin had to hold Felix back from committing murder.) 

Prince Seungmin had huffed at his parents in annoyance and swept his little brother into a giant hug, thanking each of the faeries in turn. Minho felt slightly appeased at having someone in the castle who cared but it made no difference.   
His family didn’t live in a stupid castle anyway.   
They lived in a little cottage near Levanter.   
And he didn’t need another mother or father.   
He had Lixie, Uncles Jinnie and Sungie, Brian and now Innie. 

BamBam had also stepped forward, shoving Wooyoung to the side and offered a place in the Levanter castle any time it was needed.   
“Besides,” he’d said. “You’re already like a little brother to me. And I’ll be the king within the year so ha!”  
“Very kingly of you,” snorted Chan.   
Their father was abdicating soon due to age and wanting to spend time with his grandchildren (BamBam’s kids). 

And so Minho had made the decision to stay in the forest with his real family and visit Levanter whenever he wanted. 

Chan also, having next to no responsibilities thanks to his oldest brother, was moving to the forest with them.   
Jeongin had also offered to help build his blossom tree into a tree house alike to the faeries previous residence for the young couple to spend time alone.   
“I won’t need it anymore anyway,” the kitsune smirked, hugging a blushing Felix. 

And so here they were, back in the cottage thought Minho.   
Ready to enjoy their happily ever after.


End file.
